Very Sad News Tonight!!
 

I posted awhile back about our big black lab (Luke) having hip/leg problems - Here's the link:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...t=hip+problems

Anyway, we had to take him to the vet today because he is constantly whining and in pain and holding his right leg up. Awhile back, she started him on new glucisomine (sp) supplements and an anti-inflammitory pill.

Well, today, she did xrays and gave him some new pills to try, but said that it was hip displacia (sp).....and other than paying a very high amount for a full hip replacement, there was nothing else to do. She said to try these new pills and if they don't work, there was one more to try........

It is sooo sad and horrible! I know he is in pain and I know we will have to end up putting him to sleep.

The story on Luke: (brief)
We rescued him from a life in a cage. He spent 2 1/2 years in a cage and never got out much! He weighed 99lbs when we brought him home.

We got him mid-summer (this year) and he run free and loved it. He started acting like his leg hurt and we thought it was because he was actually free to move. He also lost weight....down to 87lbs.

We have only had him a few months, he turned three in Oct.

Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone had gone through a similiar situation and if there was anything else we can try.

He has good days and bad days.......I have seen him try and try to make it up the stairs and just fall back down and other times, I have seem him run and jump as if nothing were wrong. It is sad! I know I don't want to see him in pain and not being able to move around!

I seen the xrays today.....one side is good (for now, the doc said it was only time before the other one gives out too) and the right side is completely out of place (huge gap). She is amazed at this because he is so young.....he has never been hit by a car or anything that we know of.......course, don't know what happened to him before we brought him home!

Oh guish I feel his pain. Bless his heart. I wish I could help you. I have nothing to offer but prayers. :hands: :hands: :hands:

Oh, Jenn, I am so very sorry! What terribly sad news.... :cry:

I have used a glucosamine hydrochloride supplement with GREAT success with one of my miniature horses that had some joint issues. Don't give up..... I'll keep both you and your big baby Luke in my prayers and I'm sending both of you a big :ghug:

Prayers for Luke & Jenn
 

Add my prayers - how sad and he's so lucky to have you in his life.....

i just pray he feels better,,, and i want to tell you that you have
a heart of gold.. you know that already ...

Thanks everyone!

I told the vet the other day that I didn't think we would be rescueing anymore because it always ends up w/ us having a broken heart!

I know that is a bad thing to say because it sounds like we are just thinking of ourselves, but it gets hard after awhile....I think it is worse w/ each one we have rescued that doesn't make it long.

But we aren't bad people...just can't stand another heartbreak again! --well, maybe not for awhile anyway!

I need to do some more research on the topic and see if there is any other things that we can do......we love him, but don't want to prolong his pain and suffering longer than needed....but if there were a cure that we would know that worked, that would be great!

The vet said even w/ the full hip replacement, he will still be in pain every now and then and get down sometimes where he can't move, etc. So, I am wondering why put him through that and spend that big amount of money, if it isn't going to save him from the pain??

Whew!!! It is such a hard thing to go through.....

Oh Jenn, I'm so sorry. Poor Luke, he's so young to have to go through this pain. You both will be in my prayers.

Poor Luke and poor you! He is so young. Maybe being locked in a cage for the first part of his life caused this to happen. He was probably cramped in there. I will say a prayer that the new meds help him. Luke is very lucky to have you for his mommy. Carol & Buddy:aimeeyork

ohh 'im so sorry I hope he feels better :(

Oh Jen!!!!! My heart goes out to you!!!!!

Charlie is tender in the hips too! It scares me to death!!!

I'm so sorry! I hope that the meds work! If not... we will just haf to do a Jip replacement fundraiser ;) for him!

Jenn, I am so terribly sorry about Luke. I met a lady recently whose Lab sounds a lot like Luke and the latest drug their vet tried was called Prevacox [sp.??] ... she said their baby got around like a pup again! I gave this info to our friends who own, Keena, Toto's "bestest bwack wab fweind" and sadly their vet has already tried her on it ... no luck! They have tried everything and nothing except pain relievers seem to help [she isn't a candidate for replacement surgery]. It's so, so sad because she is such a sweetheart and was also a rescue years ago. Our friends love her and spoil her every bit as much as we do Toto and their days revolve around her exercise, etc. It's so sad. I pray that Luke will respond to medication and have lots of good years! God bless you, I know how heartbreaking this must be.

Thanks everyone!

Luke has been on several meds and the pain pills help alot, but they can't be on them forever (over time, they won't work and then it isn't good for the pet). The vet did say that she had one last pill option and it was the Previlox (sp). She said that it is like another other pill...it may work, it may not. She said she has had some that have taken it and had other side effects, upset stomach, etc. We will try that though after these pills (which doesn't seem to work well........they help for awhile, but they wear off pretty face).

Luke is odd, because he can run and jump and play like there is no tomorrow on one day and then another day he can't really move. We have seen him in the early am through mid afternoon where he couldn't get around well, and then that night, he is bouncing around like a hyper ball of energy!

When we go back to the vet, I will ask about the hip replacement procedures and options and such........she said that sometimes, that doesn't even work or it will but they still have problems, so my DH doesn't know if it would be much help......crazy stuff!!!

Kathryn.......boy, I hope you never have to see Charlie like we have seen Luke! It is heartbreaking!!! Very very heartbreaking!!!!

I hope he gets better!

I had a boxer, Misty, who was put down because of this. She was in soo much pain she couldn't even drink, my mom was up with her all night holding ice cubes that she could lick. It happened really quick too. One day she was fine, and the next day she was doing nothing but whining. We did the pain meds, and muscle relaxers but nothing was helping. We could've done surgery, but at her age it probably wouldn't have helped. When we went to put her down the vet said she thought it might be cancer too.

Hopefully you'll have a better ending to this than Misty. Your baby is in my prayers.

Sending hugs and prayers to Luke! He is very lucky to have someone like you to take such good care of him.